Stacer 575 OceanFisher

Aluminium boat design has undergone a fascinating transition since the mid '90s. Indeed, it has been a significant period of modification and transformation.

But in more recent times the metamorphosis appears to have plateaued. However, it won't surprise to see the artistic wizards once again wave their magic design wands following the Brisbane Boat Show in September. Yes, the innovative hiatus could be superseded by an intellectual growth spurt.

That said, it is a difficult (if not impossible) task to 'reinvent the wheel' as far as total concepts in boating are concerned. But while plate boats appear a popular winning option in the 'latest and greatest' stakes, those that push the envelope so as to maximise performance with traditional pressed aluminium will enjoy a good slice of the coming action.

Lower costs of raw materials, minimised end product weights and a correspondingly low horsepower required for propulsion, culminate in a more attractive financial option. And if one can turn their hand at an attractive and practical hull with superior performance, more the better.

THEORY OF EVOLUTION
Enter Stacer... Its most recent hull-style innovation flies under the banner of 'EVO' (an abbreviation of evolution). This hull design will find itself under the decks and coamings of a range of Stacer's boats, from the 400SF Bass to the 575 OceanRunner Sports.

The entry on this hull is sharp, allowing the forefoot to cut through chop easily. It also allows the dramatic flare of the hull to fold rising water downwards before it aerates and sprays over the forequarters to wet the occupants.

The sharpness of this forefoot is mellowed slightly as it runs astern, finishing in a 15° deadrise at that point. Interestingly, that deadrise levels out about 200mm from the chines, folding back down like a small wing.

Dead in the water, such dramatically turned chines give a high degree of stability. Our initial thoughts were that such blunt sides might create a jarring ride on the plane in chop but, surprisingly, this was not so.

At varying speeds to around 36kmh, only the rearmost 500mm of the outer edge of the chines were in the water. The hull was planing on its centre-line and water turned down from that ran along the slight concave of each reversed chine, providing a cushioning effect with minimal spray.

Also evident was the lack of high wake behind the boat. Rather than pushing water out from under the hull, the chines were holding it, riding on it, and therefore using it to increase its height above the water. This also assisted the hull to get on the plane more quickly and to stay there at slower speeds.

EXEMPLARY MANNERS
Another surprise was the OceanFisher's manners when manoeuvring. A standard monohull might lean in when making a tight turn, while catamarans and trihulls lean out during the same manoeuvre. The EVO hull leaned in ever so slightly. But enough, however, to alleviate any feeling of overbalancing from inertia. The hull kept a very flat attitude during a turn.

We tested the 575 OceanFisher on a clear Gold Coast day with only a slight breeze. There was no significant chop to put this hull through a hard test, so manoeuvring over our own and other vessels' wakes had to do.

The 115hp EFI Mercury outboard was fitted with a 16-inch pitch propeller which was a little on the small side. The rev limiter was cutting in at 5500rpm at a speed of 53kmh. An 18-inch pitch would most likely only gain a few more kilometres per hour but would allow full throttle to be reached without the rev limiter cutting in. This engine found a comfortable cruising RPM at 4200, giving it a speed of 35kmh.

The throttle was mounted on the centre-console and steering was hydraulic.

The centre-console had a hinged top section, allowing it to be folded forward for easy storage under the carport roof. The clear perspex attached to that upper half was wraparound, and two stainless tensionable and lockable toggles held the top to the base.

A storage shelf was located under this top and a box area below that. An optional press-studded vinyl blind was fitted over the apertures of the storage areas and could be rolled up and clipped out of the way.

Seating was a padded base on a heavy-duty, removable, plastic 89lt Igloo icebox. It was mounted on a rotomould base fixed to the floor. An aluminium sleeve inserted in the port and starboard-side of this base receives the lugs of a collapsible backrest as an option.

RATTLING CONDITION
Topside at the bow, a sturdy short bowsprit holds a roller and short bowrails run astern. The anchorwell is constructed of rotomould, which will deaden a lot of the rattling associated with chains against metal. A heavy-duty lug for fixing the standing end of the anchor rope is welded under the lip of the opening.

Four plastic rodholders are mounted in the gunwales. Below the coamings aft, the sidepockets measure approximately 1500mm each side and are out of the way of shins.

The 110lt underfloor fueltank is fed and breathed by a filler cap on the port side, with the hoses for both running down the inside of the hull through the sidepocket. Flooring consists of carpeted plywood with underfloor flotation.

A wide checkerplate tray holds the battery and an oil reservoir for the outboard. This leaves ample room for other storage. A large underfloor storage locker is located forward of the centre-console.

An optional backrest may be fixed to the face of the coaming on the transom and a bench seat may be inserted across the transom as an option. Once in place, this bench seat will hide the rear battery and oil bottle shelf.

Rear rails extend down each side of the transom onto the 'Mod Pod'. This full-width pod is full floating with checkerplate tread. This section on the testboat was clean and uncluttered, having only a single shrouded loom coming from within the cockpit. There would be ample room for berley buckets and boarding ladders should they be required as an option or at a later date.

The 575 OceanFisher presented as an innovative hull that will find a wide range of applications among fishers and family boaters. It also provides a solid basis for which to build upon.

Additionally, Stacer offers a list of options for the budget-conscious buyer who wants to start with a 'bare bones' boat or the purchaser who requires a full fitout from the showroom floor